Fooding: Appliances Take 1

We did not get everything on our registries. We did, though, get a bunch of gift cards from our wedding shower. And the biggest fights we had after our wedding? Were about what we were going to get, off the registry, with those gift cards. We didn’t have enough to buy it all, so we had to prioritize. And since we pretty much don’t have much of anything, it was heated. During these conversations Kamel would balk at me and say, “We haven’t even USED the appliances that YOU wanted and that we got!!” OH ho ho… you want to know why? Because we were getting married, duh. I was a little busy, so I wasn’t really finding time for planning a baking-palooza, mmkay.

So last week I took Sarah‘s suggestion (easy peasy suggestion, my kind of suggestion) with the slow cooker (one packet of taco seasoning, two frozen chicken boobs, shred and house in tortilla, place in maw).

The same day I got my new ‘do, I popped these puppies into our fancy, clean slow cooker around noon, on high with 1/2 cup of chicken broth and a packet of taco seasoning that was on clearance at Target the weekend before.

Every once in a while I would flip them because … I’m a kitchen meddler. I meddle. I like to poke and peek and I won’t be stopped!

By 6pm they were luscious. Luscious chicken boobs. But! I had to run off and get my hair cut, so I put the Cooker on low and took off. We didn’t get home until around 730.The chicken was a bit dried out because the top parts hadn’t been kept in the liquid.

But it shredded up beautifully! And Kamel kept exclaiming “A REAL DINNER! WE’RE EATING LIKE GROWNUPS!” Hells yes we are. Appliances for the win.

A little salsa, a little cheese and we were good to go!

No veggies this time since I was still struggling to digest at that moment. But this week I have some veggie tricks up my sleeve involving zucchini and radishes and butter lettuce. Aww yeahh.

Overall, packet-o-taco-seasoning-and-voila-shredded-chicken was a success! This week when I make it again (two packets of seasoning for the win!), I’m going to throw in 1/2 cup of water on top of the chicken stock to keep the chickens a little more covered.

So, all ofyou with slow cookers! What’s the scoop? Hit me up with your tips and tricks. What are your favorite recipes? I know Maris has something involving pork chops we should all be drooling over, and my hair dresser said something about beer and stewed tomatoes, so I’m stoked to hear what else you got! Easy, warm, full meals with a very small amount of effort? Let’s be honest – I don’t cook any other way.

Oh boy! There’s slow-cooker synchronicity. The hubs just had his first slow cooker success this last weekend (after failing dramatically just days before). So here’s another to try: one onion plus 2 cloves garlic (chopped/minced), 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 lb pork roast. On low for 8 hours, then shred. THEN wrap in tortilla with enchilada sauce, drown in enchilada sauce and top w/shredded cheese. Bake for 15 mins at 350, or microwave for 5 til warm/cheese melted. Delicious. Can’t wait to see everyone else’s suggestions!

I bought Slow Cooker Revolution a few weeks go (an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook) and have been having lots of fun with it. My favorite so far are the lasagne recipes, white and red sauce based, (seriously…we’re thinking about self catering our wedding with them. There’s a maple glazed pork loin in mine as I type this (also from Slow Cooker Revolution).

We’ve made a mean ratatouille in ours, but without much of a recipe. Chop onions, summer squash, zucchini, peppers and eggplant in equal size pieces. Add chopped tomatoes (we had canned, and included the juice) and some more water to cover. Season, cook on low for 6 hours. Veggie goodness!

simmah that shit on low all day. about half an hour before serving, I throw in a couple handfuls of tortilla chips to thicken it up, then serve in a bowl topped with shredded cheese, avocado and cilantro.

I use the slow cooker at least once a week (sometimes more throughout the fall/winter). A take on the recipe above chicken breasts and salsa cooked on low for 8 hours. I usually do 2 chicken breasts and most of a small jar of salsa. I save the rest for topping my tacos later. Then you shred and add cheese. I also do chicken breasts with a can of cream of chicken soup with a little bit of milk and lots of paprika cooked all day. Then I add shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce and shred the chicken and serve a top egg noodles or whole wheat pasta. The slow cooker is my saving grace during busy times. Tomorrow nights dinner is a traditional pot roast-seared beef with red potatoes and carrots.

My favorite thing for the slow cooker is chili. I fry my meat (beef, chicken, or turkey) first, then throw it in the slow cooker with any desired beans, stewed tomatoes, ro-tel and a packet of chili seasoning. So yummy on a winter day plus it makes your house smell awesome while it cooks.
Something else I do to save time is fry up a bunch of ground beef and freeze individual one pound servings. Then just thaw a serving when you need it.

OOH I’ve done this too – bacon wrapped chicken boob seasoned with herbs de province (sounds super snooty, but my mom bought me some and this is the only thing I use it for!) and some apple slices with cinnamon on them – bake until dreamy 🙂

I usually use the slow cooker in the fall/winter- i think coming home to an apartment smelling like delicious dinner is THE BEST. Especially when I can smell it as i get off of the elevator 🙂

On the way: fall off the bone porkchops (eat with applesauce, serve over rice. nom); something called “velvet chicken”, which sounds grosser than it actually is, but its basically chicken, rice, and a can of cream of mushroom soup; and beef stroganoff! I also have a couple of appetizer recipes…

Wow, there really is some synchronicity going on, like Erin said. I even posted about it today. On our trip to the bookshop this weekend, I got a book calles “Slow cooking and stews”, we just got a slow cooker (though what I thought a slow cooker was is different… it’s a cast iron enameled pan) but you can do the same kind of dishes, that is, stews and the like. It was a delayed wedding gift too. So what I made is ratatouille, and it is one of the first things I learnt to cook:
-you need onions or shallots (2 ), 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, 1 zuchini, 2 bell peppers, 1 eggplant, 2 or 3 tomatoes. Olive oil, salt, pepper and provençal herbs (basilic, marjorie? marjolaine?, thyme, oregano). You make squares of all the vegetables, and basically first cook the onion/shallots and garlic until transparent. Then you add the rest of the vegetables, first bell peppers, then eggplant, then zuchini, tomatos in the end, season, and let cook slowly slowly until it is very soft. It is great over rice, or as a sidedish with grilled chicken or meat. Or just as it is . And when it’s cold I love it on fresh bread as a sandwich spread.

Yay slow cookers!! My supervisor at work used make chicken adobo (its a filipino recipe, but basically it just tastes like chicken terriyaki with no goopy sauce, which is a plus) with her slow cooker in our back office, YAY FOR YUMMY FOOD AT WORK. Its basically just chicken, soy sauce, some vinegar (white if youre being specific, but rice vinegar or red wine vinegar or any kind will work really), a bay leaf, chicken breasts (or thights or any kind), water, a chopped inion (or any added vegetables like carrots or potatoes), and a bay leaf with salt and pepper (emphasis on extra black pepper 🙂 Its very simple and amazing and YUMMY 🙂 I do a version of it on my stove since I’m not in the slow cooker club 🙂

first off, i’ve never heard the phrase “chicken boob” and it’s totally making me giggle all over the place 🙂 secondly, your recipe inspired me–i’ve been wanting to use my roommates crock pot for ages and never had the motivation. so right now i have your recipe going strong in our crock pot… can’t wait to try it for myself!

ps. thanks all of you for your recipe suggestions! they all sound delish!!!

DUDE! You can make your very own cookbook just from all these awesome responses! Dinner night at the Duprez household!! I found a badass pot roast recipe that had literally 4 ingredients and came out finger licking good, im considering having Chad drive my recipe book to my work just so I can share it…Lol. Ill definitely post it when I get home!! =D

I love using the slow-cooker for making large batches of beans or lentils since I eat SO MUCH of that stuff! It takes some planning ahead though. You want to soak beans overnight, rinse then place back into cooker with spices, tomato, water/ veggie stock then set on low for 8 hours. It’s great if you’re out of the house all day and want to come home to a chili, then you just need to whip up some cornbread to go on the side!

Put chuck roast in crock pot, pour other ingredients over top (including juice from peppers). Cook on low for 8-ish hours. Shred. Eat on buns with provolone cheese and/or spicy brown mustard. Or just shove it straight into your mouth. The pepperoncinis turn into delicious little broth-ballons, but if that’s not your thing, I don’t judge. 😉

I use this at the end of the week because it involves finishing off any produce we haven’t managed to put on salads.
3 cans of any “cream of” soup
Some chicken
Cup of minute rice
And any left over veggies (usually some onion, celery, carrots, ect.)
Low for five hours. Or high for three.

Soooooo simple. And don’t peek! It dries the meat out. Even if it’s really really tempting. Out oven doesn’t work (insert triple sigh). If not for my slow cooker we’d have macaroni every night!

OK. I consider myself a master of crock-pottery. Mostly because I am lazy, and on football days there is nothing better. SO READY FOR FALL!

Pot roast – put a roast in your crock with a sliced onion, about 3 ribs of chopped celery, about a half bag of quartered baby red potatoes, and baby carrots (I use a metric crap-ton). Also, one of those pot roast seasoning packets.

Hot sausage sandwiches (this may be a regional thing but it’s good) – get a pack or two of sausages. I prefer hot, but if you like ’em sweet better, that’s cool too, I won’t judge. Slice up an onion, a green bell pepper and a red bell pepper, and throw it all in the crock with a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Eat on hot dog buns or hoagie buns.

Want a little vegetarian in your life? Get a 9 oz package of tortellini (the kind in the ‘fridgerated section), a 16 oz package of frozen broccoli, and a large pasta sauce. Throw it all in the crock with a half cup of water, mix around, and cook. Use some Italian seasonings. Dress liberally with parmesan, if you’re so inclined. This only needs to go on high for about 2 hours, instead of the requisite 4-on-high-or-8-on-low that other recipes call for, which makes it a nice “last minute” meal.

Also, not trying to promote my blog (obvs b/c I haven’t written a post in months) but here is my favorite turkey recipe and my favorite mac-and-cheese recipe.Turkey ChiliMac and Cheese